The Tale of Shadow Hood
by the.lady.dragona
Summary: Atem, once the son of nobility and now a vigilante who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, is determined to save the people of Nottingham from the evil clutches of King Pegasus. Yaoi. YYY and mentions of others.


I just love coming up with new ideas! This one is kinda/sorta based on Robin Hood, but modified to fit with YuGiOh.

Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!

The Tale of Shadow Hood

Tragedy

The morning was young and dew still clung to the grass. The birds were just awakening from their rest and the evenings mist was slowly dissipating, giving the beautiful Sherwood Forest a fresh and clean feeling. Two young men had just finished breaking camp and were double checking the site, making sure they hadn't forgotten anything.

"Are you ready, Lord Atem?"

"Yes, I believe so. Let us leave. Father is surely anxious for our arrival, and I for my own bed." Atem gave his companion a cheeky grin, causing the older, and taller, male to shake his head.

"It seems our time out here had done nothing to grow your appreciation for those less fortunate." He said as he mounted his horse.

Atem followed the other mans lead as he spoke. "Oh, come now, Mahaad! Don't be so uptight. Relax a little, for we are almost home."

Mahaad sighed and gave his charge a kind smile. The boys father was a high ranking nobleman with a heart of gold. The old man was kind and gentle and he never passed up an opportunity to help the poor commoners.

Atem on the other hand… Well he was exactly what you would have expected of a young man who had grown up in the lap of luxury. Arrogant and spoiled he was, but Atem's father would have none of that. He decided he would test his son by sending him into the wilderness on his sixteenth birthday to fend for himself for a year. Of course, being completely alone would drive even a healthy young man insane, so he had also sent Mahaad to keep the boy company and to teach him.

The first couple of months had been the hardest for Atem. He hadn't eaten much and had quickly fallen extremely ill. The recovery had been slow and Mahaad had been worried that he wouldn't make it. But Atem did eventually recover, and with that recovery came a brand new boy. Suddenly he was begging Mahaad to teach him archery and trapping and all manner or skills necessary to survive, although he had never got the hang of cooking. Mahaad was quite proud of Atem's progress. The boy was now a very proficient archer and swordsman. He could also identify almost any plant in the surround area. Now that the year was up, they were headed home.

"Mahaad?" The older male looked up from his musings.

"Yes, Lord Atem?"

The young man had his head down and his blond bangs shadowed his eyes. "Do you think Father will be pleased with me?"

Mahaad was taken aback at first. Atem had rarely shown any form of uncertainty, even to his closest friends. He was always sure and decisive, even when they had first started living out here and the boy had been scared senseless. "Atem, I have never told you this, I didn't want to inflate your ego even more then it already was, but you have progressed remarkably! Lord Ahknemkhanen will be very pleased with how far you have come."

Atem gave his mentor a large grin "Thank you, Mahaad. You are a… Wait a minute! I do not have an ego!"

Mahaad laughed loudly at Atem's scandalized look. "Perhaps not anymore, but not long ago…" Atem growled playfully at his companion and took a mock swing at him, but Mahaad had seen him coming and dug his heels into his horse, causing the poor animal to go into a full out gallop.

The older male knew that Atem would catch up quickly, the kid never passed up a challenge. He roared with laughter when he heard Atem behind him. "You won't get away with this, Mahaad!" The man burst through the trees into a large meadow. He knew where he was. This was the clearing just before the Sennen estate. All they had to do was cross the hill at the edge of the meadow and they would be able to see home.

Mahaad slowed his steed to a stop to wait for his charge, but he didn't have to wait long. Atem busted through the trees and undergrowth with a scowl that soon turned to a grin once he realized where he was.

"It's just over that hill, isn't it?"

Mahaad nodded and looked toward their destination. He frowned when he noticed the almost-black clouds hanging over the hill. Wait, those weren't clouds! He gasped and willed his horse to run as fast as it could go, leaving behind a very stunned Atem. "M-Mahaad?" He called and desperately tried to catch up with his mentor.

Mahaad had stopped at the top of the hill with his hand covering his mouth. He looked as if he could be ill.

Atem rushed up the hill after him. "Mahaad, what are you? Oh my god." Atem was stunned and horrified. Just at the bottom of the hill was his house, in flames. It took the boy a moment to register what was going on, but once his brain caught up with his eyes, he raced down the hill not even hearing Mahaad calling his name to stop.

Atem vaulted off his horse once he was close enough and rushed into the burning building, with no thought for his own safety. All he could think about was finding his father.

The boy yelped as a burning beam landed in his path, missing the youth by inches. He dodged around flame consumed walls and furniture and called out to the only blood family he had left. "Father? Father! Father, where are you!"

Atem secretly thanked any gods who might be listening that they didn't have a multi-story home as he ran to his fathers chambers. He slammed into the door with his shoulder and it almost disintegrated with the force. He gave the room a quick once over, but the old man was nowhere to be seen.

Atem coughed into his shirt, the smoke was making it hard to breath and see, not to mention the effects of the heat. He stumbled from the room. Where could his father be? Atem's ears perked up at the sound of coughing that wasn't his own. Could it be?

He ran in the direction of the noise, it was coming from the study. Atem busted that door down as well. The study was least effected part of the house, for the flames hadn't gotten there quite yet, but it was filled with black smoke.

In the middle of the floor lay Lord Ahknemkhanen, Atem's father. Atem rushed to his side. The man was badly burned and he was losing consciousness. Atem quickly swung his fathers arm around his shoulder and rushed to the only window in the room.

It was already broken, but Atem grabbed the heaviest thing he could find, one of his fathers smaller gold chests and slammed the object into the rest of the window.

Mahaad had apparently heard the crash and came running. "Hand him to me and worry about getting yourself out!" His mentor called. Atem quickly lifted his father through the window to Mahaad, careful not to cut him on the glass, and them climbed out himself.

Atem fell onto the burnt grass and staggered in the direction Mahaad had went. He felt exhausted now, but the worry for his father overrode the rest of his senses.

Mahaad had taken Lord Ahknemkhanen as from the house as he dared and laid him on the grass just as Atem came forward. They both knelt next to the old man and Mahaad tried to dress his wounds.

"Ma-haad… Do not worry… about me." He coughed.

"Father! Do not speak! You are injured, but don't worry, he will dress your burns and take you to a physician in town."

The old man gave his son a weary smile and reached a shaky hand up to his face to caress the boys cheek. "Atem. My son. There is no hope for me now."

"Father, don't say things like that!" He could feel the tears running down his face. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He was supposed to come home and have his father be proud of him and praise him! Not die!

"My son. I am proud of you. I know Mahaad has taught you well. You will be a great hero someday, I have know that since you were a child."

Atem shook and grasped his fathers hand that still rested on his face as he sobbed.

"I must tell you. Terrible things are happening in Nottingham. Righteous, King Dartz has passed on and his brother, Pegasus, has taken his place. He is the one who has ruined our family."

"Ill kill him!" Atem roared, but his father slowly shook his head.

"Calm yourself, my son. I do not want you to avenge me. Instead, I want you to protect the people in my stead. I know… you will… make me proud…. Atem." And Lord Ahknemkhanen breathed his last.

Mahaad expected Atem to continue to sob and mourn his father's passing, but the young man surprised him yet again. His voice was strong and sure when he spoke. "Mahaad, I expect you will help me fulfill Father's dying request?"

The older man, although taken aback, nodded instantly. "Of course, my Lord."

Atem stood, his head held high. "Then let us be off. There is much to do."

-oOOo-

Whoo! Lots of information and stuff happening. I know I said that I would post this after Split Souls was done….. But I liked the way this chapter turned out so much that I'm posting early! ^_^


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